Reds survive late onslaught to produce upset win over Victory

Adelaide United held on to record a stunning result after defeating Melbourne Victory 3-2 at Marden Sports Complex on Friday night.

Goals to Veronica Latsko, Emily Condon and a penalty from Michelle Heyman shocked the visitors who almost earned a share of the spoils through late goals to Ella Mastrantonio and Laura Alleway.

Despite dominating large portions of the match Victory will head home licking their wounds as they missed an opportunity to take back first position on the Westfield W-League ladder after being leapfrogged by Perth Glory earlier in the evening.

The visitors looked the more likely to score during the first half with Emily Gielnik and Christine Nairn both going close.

It would be a Red however who first troubled the scorers, Latsko pouncing on a Victory mistake and firing home from about 25 yards out.

Victory would have a penalty shout on Natasha Dowie waved away before the referee blew for half-time.

Gielnik and Nairn both went close again after the re-start while Adelaide’s Dylan Holmes was inches away from doubling her side’s lead when she smacked her shot off the right post in the 51st minute.

Heyman would do exactly that with 73 minutes on the clock as she was brought down by Teigan Allen in the penalty area, her resulting spot-kick sending Casey Dumont the wrong way and bringing up her first goal as an Adelaide player.

There was no reprieve for the Victory goalkeeper three minutes later as Dumont was unable to hold a point-blank shot from Condon, the ball rolling over the line as Dumont scrambled in vain.

All hope was not lost for Victory however as three minutes from time they pulled one back courtesy of a 30-yard screamer from Mastrantonio, the 26-year old midfielder gathering a loose ball and emphatically burying her finish.

The home crowd would have had hearts in mouths when Alleway headed home from a Nairn cross in injury time but the Reds would hold on, recording a much-needed win in their quest to play finals football.